Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1887-07-01

There IS shortage IN the following funds
handled by Colby:
APPROPRIATIONS
New building appropriation ...s 1900 90
Completing main building appropria-
Improving grounds appropriation. ..,>> $500 90
Fuel fund appropriation ion............. 12,5O0 90
Repairing main building. ................ $500 90
Total appropriation on........,,...... S2, $50 90
SHORTAGE.
New building fund, completing main
building fund, repairing main build
1uE luHQ ........... Sl,T21 W
Fuel fund ....................... 2,9O9 9S
Ground improvement fund, forest trees
and concrete walk Observation-Disclosures. 639 90
In all shortage Observation-Disclosures. $5,471 SO
The above amounts are estimates made
by competent men as to the cost of the inn
provements and is the only thing we have
TO base estimates on. Colby or trustees
have failed to furnish an estimate of the
cost of the several improvements. The es-
timates made of the Improvement SHOW
that there ought to have been money left
inthe several improvements funds instead,
as Colby says, the overdraft in several
funds amounts to 1926, as per Colby
statement, exhibit c.
Territorial Auditor Caldwell paid the
vouchers drawn in favor OF A. E. Colby,
as most of them We're, upon the funds be-
fore mentioned and Q. KID by him. The
law makes it the duty of the steward to
disburse the employees funds and buy all
supplies for the institution, and in no case
are any of these vouchers supposed to
reach the secretary Of the board
The law makes it the duty of the Superin
tendent and the president of the board of
trustees to check up and certify to the
correctness of the stewards monthly
statements, and the auditor has no author
ity whatever to pay vouchers that are not
certified to in this way. And yet Auditor
Caldwell in his dealings with Mr.. Cobby
during the past two years has seen fit to
do away with steward and superintendent
and to recognize Colby alone i'm these sew
eral capacities, thus giving the officers no
opportunity whatever to have any check
upon the money expended from those sew
eral funds
The steward and superintendent 5eing
appointive Offices by tsae trustees are e,ot to
blame for this manner and way of doing
business SO much as Auditor Caad WE'LL
This matter being taken oalt of their hands
without any warrant of law or authority
by the trustees, Caldwell IS the man who
should have checked and refused to recog-
nize this manner and way Of doing busi-
ness.
The trustees who acted with Mr.. Colby
in this matter try to evade, with very poor
grace, their responsibility in this matter.
When they have gone SO far out Of their
way as to take upon themselves the duties
and responsibilities of steward and super
intendent of the institution they should
have had or kept some track of the money
that was passing through their hands, and
when they now attempt to say that they
know nothing whatever of this matter. as
some of them do, knew nothing of the es
Inmates that were being made or of how
this money was being expended they place
themselves on record as being totally in
competent to fill the responsible positions
to which they aspire as trustees of this in
stitution. They selected Mr.. Colby super
intendent of construction, and by their act
appointed him treasurer of the funds over
which they had assumed control.
Mr.. Colby. during the two years he acted
as trustee, seems to have employed a great
er portion of his time in experimenting
the construction and building of chicken
house, ice house, coal house, completing
attic and few other small improvements.
During his term as trustee he was paid
out OF the general fund of the territory for
such services the sum of 81 $3.50, being an
average of about So for every working day
during the two years that he served on the
board; and yet in his testimony he admits
that during this time he had an interest in
a general store, was giving his time
and attention to 1t. was doing
other building and contracting besides
that at the institution, and was engaged
in other and divers enterprises. And yet
he has found something to do during al
most every day of his entire term, as
would appear from the amount of money
that has been paid for his services. The
members of the old board were so we'll
satisfied with the services of Colby that
they elected him. in April, 1887, to the
position of superintendent of construction
and were anxious to have him again as
sumo the management and control of the
of the money appropriated for
new improvements.
Mr.. Colby in his examination has no
definite idea as to the several costs of the
made by him during his
term as trustee, except those which, on the
second day of his examination, he tried to
explain had been built out of the fuel fund
and others. Including those Improvements
was the ice-house. He knew to cent the
exact cost of that building, and claimed
that it had been built out Of money appro-
prjated to buy fuel for the institution, and
yet IL his vouchers on file in the Office of |
the territorial auditor, drawn on the fund |
for building new buildings. during the time !